


Inspection

by inlovewithnight



Category: Battlestar Galactica (2003)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-01-02
Updated: 2007-01-02
Packaged: 2017-10-15 15:09:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 890
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/162057
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/inlovewithnight/pseuds/inlovewithnight





	Inspection

Lee tugs at the collar of his dress uniform, glancing up at the ceiling and wondering just how long this was going to take. It's actually reasonably insulting, having his deck searched like this. "There are no terrorists on my ship," he mutters, just loud enough for the bored-looking marine standing by the Raptor to hear. "Well, except for the Vice-President, of course."

Dee elbows him in the ribs, her on-duty smile still neatly in place. "Stop that," she mutters.

"It's a frakking joke, Dee. _He's_ a frakking joke."

"He got elected fair and square." An odd look crosses her face as she says that, and he quickly looks away; there are some questions he just doesn't ask, these days. He really doesn't think he can stand having one more pretty little illusion shattered, and he suspects his marriage fits squarely into that category.

The other two marines finish their sweep and return to the Raptor with a nod to their commander. He turns and raps a neat pattern on the hatch and Lee wants to scream, because this is _ridiculous_ , the extra protocols that have sprung up like weeds since Baltar took office. It probably makes sense that the administration headed by a slimeball and a terrorist would be a little more paranoid than Roslin's, but for the love of the _Gods_...

"Commander," Zarek says as he steps off the ramp, beaming at Lee like a long-lost friend. "So good to see you again."

Lee salutes, ignoring the hand Zarek extends. "Sir," he mutters through clenched teeth. "Welcome to Pegasus."  
**  
Zarek strolls, he ambles, he dawdles as he takes his tour of the ship, and Lee is seriously considering killing him by the time they make it to his office for the debriefing that is the supposed reason the Vice President came over here at all.

"You run a good ship, Apollo," Zarek says as he settles into his chair, smiling benignly and waving aside Dee's offer of a drink.

"We don't actually use the call sign once we leave active flight status," Lee says through clenched teeth. "So, Commander Adama, if you would."

"Really? That's a shame. The call sign suited you." The look on Zarek's face can only be described as a smirk as he glances around the office. "You live pretty well over here, Commander."

"We get by." Dee tilts her head toward the door and Lee nods in acknowledgement, letting her escape this exercise in wasting time and go back to the CIC.

"Better than the citizens who've taken the risk and gone down to the surface." There's no way to respond to that, so Lee doesn't. Zarek waits a long, exaggerated moment before moving on. "Though I expect all of the military personnel will be moving down there before too long."

"What makes you expect that?"

"Well, there won't be any need for a military once we get settled. And we'll need every soul we have on the surface to help build and realize our vision, the reestablishment of human civilization, our--"

"Please," Lee says, holding up one hand and wishing he'd thought to pour a drink for himself. "Not the new society talk. Not the new world, not the new future, not...any of it. Let's just talk about what you came over here to talk about and then we can both get on with our day."

Zarek's smile picks up a sharper edge, like broken glass. "Has any one ever told you, Commander, that you're absolutely no fun at all?"

"Once or twice." Lee can feel himself hunching forward over his desk, setting his jaw and furrowing his forehead, and the realization that he's doing a killer imitation of his father almost makes him want to laugh. Almost. "But being fun actually isn't part of the job description of commanding a battlestar."

"So when your job becomes obsolete, you might loosen up a little." Zarek nods. "I look forward to that day."

"I wouldn't count on it coming around too quickly." Lee glares at him for a moment, but Zarek's smile doesn't waver, and finally Lee gives up. "What did you want to see me about, Mr. Vice President?"

"Oh." Zarek shrugs and glances around the room again. "Nothing."

"Nothing?"

"Not a gods-blessed thing."

"You took this much time out of my day, you shut down my ship, you went over my flight deck with a fine-toothed comb for _nothing_?"

"Just wanted to make sure that you're taking good care of my ship, Commander."

Lee laughs, a short harsh sound. "This is not your ship."

"Civilian oversight of the military, Commander, it's a beautiful thing." Zarek looks at him again with cold, dark eyes, like he wants to pin Lee to his seat with his gaze. Probably would work if Lee hadn't grown up with a father who made Zarek look like an amateur at the glaring game. "And it means that this is my ship."

"In a purely technical sense, I assure you, sir."

"Good enough for me." Zarek stands and tugs his jacket straight, smiling again. "I'm sure we'll be seeing a lot of each other, Commander. I look forward to it."

"I don't."

"That's a shame." Zarek steps to the door and waits for the marine guard to open it. "But you know what? It doesn't change a thing."  



End file.
